On Rudolph, the Redskins and extreme PC

By Steven E. Kramer

Wednesday

Dec 19, 2018 at 3:01 AM

Fifty-four years ago, “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” became a traditional children’s Christmas story, often told by Burl Ives. It became a beloved tale of how Rudolph overcame peer adversity to become a hero.

Seventy-four years ago, “Baby It’s Cold Outside” became a famous winter holiday song about the end of a social evening for a couple and the eternal conflict of “should I stay or should I go?”

The two songs have now fallen into the cross hairs of political correctness, with allegations that they favor bullying and sexual harassment. Although a favorite of many generations, these songs now fail to pass the “PC” litmus test for a small cross section of the population.

These two examples evidence the danger and widespread resentment that result when a small PC contingent infiltrates social media and forces the substitution of its social conscience for that which has been acceptable for multiple generations. Those who simply view these songs as holiday music are told that they embrace insensitive bullying and harassment. Understandably, the majority answer: “Give me a break.”

PC advocates need to be mindful that, as in a marriage and the nurturing of children, it’s advisable to pick your battles. Although some labels and nicknames should be changed, decisions about what to challenge should be much more deferential to prior generations who have considered songs and traditions as benign. It is not a stretch to conclude that many who at least initially condoned the antics of the president did so because they were fed up with the imposition of political correctness on too many aspects of their lives.

Ironically, perhaps the most objectionable target remains a professional sports team whose name remains unchanged: “The Redskins.” Skin color to define a professional sports organization? Now, that’s deplorable. What if they announced that the starting offensive lineup includes four “whiteskins” and seven “blackskins”?